The Efficacy of Auriculotherapy for Smoking Cessation: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Quitting smoking remains a challenge for almost one-third of the military veteran population. Alternatives to pharmacological therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure, and electrical stimulation have received minimal attention in research but have been widely reported to be popular and safe interventions for smoking cessation.Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 125 veterans was conducted to determine whether aural electrical stimulation (auriculotherapy) once a week for 5 consecutive weeks is associated with a higher rate of smoking abstinence are than observed with sham stimulation.Results: Auriculotherapy was found to be safe and largely free from significant side effects. However, there was no difference in the rate of smoking cessation between those participants who received true auriculotherapy and those who received sham auriculotherapy. The auriculotherapy group achieved a rate of 20.9% abstinence versus 17.9% for the placebo arm after 6 weeks. Conclusion:The results of this randomized, controlled clinical trial do not support the use of auriculotherapy to assist with smoking cessation. It is possible that a longer treatment duration, more frequent sessions, or other modifications of the intervention protocol used in this study may result in a different outcome. However, based on the results of this study, there is no evidence that auriculotherapy is superior to placebo when offered once a week for 5 weeks, as described in previous uncontrolled studies. ( Smoking is a major health hazard. Although the risk of smoking-related diseases and death decline sharply when smokers quit, 19% of Americans currently smoke.1 Rates of smoking are even higher among US military veterans, with about 1 in 3 current smokers.2 In keeping with the 2008 clinical guidelines for smoking cessation, veterans are asked about their smoking status annually and are offered group or individual counseling and either bupropion or nicotine replacement therapy to help them achieve smoking abstinence. 3,4 Both bupropion and nicotine replacement therapy have been found to be more effective than placebo or no treatment, 5,6 but they are ineffective in many cases. In fact, a meta-analysis of clinical trials found that bupropion and a nicotine patch result in abstinence in only 20% and 13% of participants, respectively.7 At the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), varencline, a second-line medication with a reported 25% abstinence rate, is considered only after bupropion or nicotine replacement therapy or a combination of the two have failed, and then only after appropriate psychiatric and cardiovascular screening. [7][8][9][10][11][12] Alternatives to pharmacological therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure, and electrical stimulation have received minimal attention in the re- search but are used widely, and proponents of their use believe them to be effective and safe interventions for smoking. 13 However, a recent Cochrane review found little evidence from randomized controlled tria...

A Study on Research for Utilization Acupuncture Treatment in Military Medicine

“…군진의학에서 침치료를 활용한 연구는 2000년 14) 부터 발간되기 시작하여 2003년 13) , 2006년 28) , 2009년 16) , 2011년 29) 에 각 1편씩 발표되었고 2013년부터 연구 수가 증가하여 2016년 3월까지 13편 [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]30,31) 이 발표되었다 (Fig. 2).…”

“…임상연구의 연구 형태를 분석했을 때 무작위 대조군 연구 가 8편 [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] 으로 제일 많았고, 증례 보고 논문이 3편 13,24,25) , 후향적 코호트 연구 26,27) , 교차 단면연구 28,29) 가 각 2편, 전 후 연구 14) , 비무작위 대조군 연구 30) , 예비연구 31) 가 1편이…”

“…임상 논문의 연구 목적별 분류를 해보면 외상 후 스트 레스 증후군 17,20,21,25) , 치료를 위해 침술을 선택하는 이유 에 관한 연구 [27][28][29]31) 가 각 4편, 전쟁 경험과 관련된 통증 논문이 3편 23,26,30) , 상기도 감염 24) , 일시적 소음성 난청 14) , 물질 중독 19) , 근막동통 증후군 16) , 인후통 22) , 금연 18) , 신경…”

“…효과에 대해 긍정적, 효과적으로 평가한 논문이 11 편 16,17,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]30) , 주제와 관련이 없는 논문(치료를 위해 침술 을 선택하는 이유에 대한 연구)이 4편 [27][28][29]31) , 효과 없음으 로 평가한 논문이 2편 14,18) , 효과에 대해 언급하지 않은 논 문이 1편 13) 이었다 (Fig. 3).…”

Mieux prendre en charge le tabagisme : il est urgent d’agir

“…Toutefois, une méta-analyse plus récente n'a pas confirmé ces résultats à long terme (OR, 1,1 ; IC à 95 % : 0,86 à 1,40) [13]. De même, l'auriculothérapie n'est pas efficace dans cette indication [14]. Il faut retenir que ces approches qui ne sont pas validées dans le cadre du sevrage tabagique, ne sont pas utilisées lors des consultations spécialisées de tabacologie.…”